Topic
Adoniram
16 passages cited, from 4 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- 1 Kings 4:6Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave Also called ADORAM, a tax gatherer
And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
- 1 Kings 12:18Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave Also called ADORAM, a tax gatherer
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 20:24Smith · ISBE · Nave Also called ADORAM, a tax gatherer
And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:
- 1 Kings 5:14Easton · ISBE · Nave Also called ADORAM, a tax gatherer
And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
- 2 Chronicles 10:18Smith · ISBE
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
- Deuteronomy 20:11ISBE
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
- Joshua 16:10ISBE
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
- Joshua 17:13ISBE
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
- Judges 1:28ISBE
And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
- 1 Kings 5:13ISBE
¶ And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
- 1 Kings 9:15ISBE
¶ And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
- 1 Kings 12:1–33ISBE
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)…
Show 4 more
- 1 Chronicles 22:2 ISBE
- 1 Chronicles 22:15 ISBE
- 2 Chronicles 8:7 ISBE
- 2 Chronicles 10:1–19 ISBE
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 3 references
(Adoram, 1 Kings 12:18), the son of Abda, was “over the tribute,” i.e., the levy or forced labour. He was stoned to death by the people of Israel (1 Kings 4:6; 5:14)
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 7 references
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 16 references
ad-o-ni'-ram ('adhoniram, "my lord is exalted"): An official of Solomon (1Ki 4:6; 5:14). Near the close of the reign of David, and at the opening of the reign of Rehoboam, the same office was held by Adoram (2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 12:18).
The name Adoram seems to be a contraction of Adoniram, and doubtless the same person held the office in all the three reigns. The name also appears as Hadoram (2Ch 10:18). In the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) the office is variantly described as "over the tribute," which is misleading, and "over the levy," which is correct, though obscure. In the American Standard Revised Version it is uniformly "over the men subject to taskwork." Adoniram was at the head of the department of forced labor for the government. The record is to the effect that peoples conquered by Israel, except the Canaanites, were to be spared, subject to the obligation to forced labor on the public works (De 20:11); that this law was actually extended to the Canaanites (Jos 16:10; 17:13; Jud 1:28 ff); that David, in his preparations for the temple, organized and handed over to Solomon a service of forced labor (1Ch 22:2,15, etc.); that under Solomon this service was elaborately maintained (1Ki 5:13 ff; 9:15 ff; 2Ch 8:7 ff).
It was not for the temple only, but for all Solomon's numerous building enterprises. In theory men of Israelite blood were free from this burden, but practically they found it a burden and a grievance. At the accession of Rehoboam they protested against it (1Ki 12; 2Ch 10). Nothing in the account is more indicative of Rehoboam's utter lack of good judgment than his sending his veteran superintendent of the forced labor department to confer with the people. The murder of Adoniram, and the ignominious flight of Rehoboam, were natural consequences.
Willis J. Beecher
In the topical indexes
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915); Nave's Topical Bible (1896), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.